Ochsner Health is a system that delivers health to the people of Louisiana, Mississippi and the Gulf South with a mission to Serve, Heal, Lead, Educate and Innovate.
Applications Open for Ochsner STAR Summer Scholars Program
NEW ORLEANS – Applications are now open for the Ochsner STAR (Science, Technology, Academic, Research) Summer Scholars Program, Ochsner Health’s legacy high school program created to increase student access to science and academic research in Louisiana. This year, the competitive Ochsner STAR program will celebrate its 17th annual summer session for qualifying high school juniors. The deadline to apply is Thursday, March 16, 2023.
STAR provides students, particularly those with limited means or access to STEM education, a cost-free opportunity to explore the world of healthcare. The rigorous hands-on summer program focuses on science, technology, academics and research. During a four-week summer course, STAR aims to engage and inspire students to pursue careers in science and medicine by exposing students to the most innovative aspects of modern healthcare and by challenging them to find their best personal fit in the healthcare workforce.
“Education outreach is incredibly important to Ochsner Health. In fact, our founder, the late Dr. John Ochsner, had a guiding principle of investing in education to provide a promising future for the students of Louisiana,” said Carlos Calix, Assistant Vice President of School Partnerships for Ochsner Health. “We remain fully committed to our legacy STAR program because of the opportunity it brings our youth, but also because it serves as an incredible pipeline for our future doctors, nurses, scientists and other healthcare professionals we need here in the state and throughout the Gulf South.”
STAR’s curriculum offers hands-on learning and classroom seminars through hospital and clinic rotations. On average, STAR students explore over 60 departments and specialties, interact with more than 75 clinical and nonclinical employees, and receive over 160 hours of free healthcare and science education. Scholars participate in cutting-edge scientific experiments under the guidance of Ochsner scientists in laboratories and learn how to properly conduct and professionally present research.
Research shows that healthcare workers are acutely needed. According to the Association of American Colleges (AAMC), the United States could see an estimated shortage of between 37,800 and 124,000 physicians by 2034. Another analysis found that the healthcare industry could be short 2.1 million nurses by 2025.
To better prepare STAR pupils for the workforce, students will learn leadership development and other important professional development skills from career development experts. These include presentation skills, resume writing and interview skills, teambuilding, and professionalism in the workplace. STAR’s comprehensive program also includes CPR certification for each participating student.
The program is competitive. In 2022,15 rising high school seniors were selected from a pool of more than 150 applicants.
Program Details:
- WHEN:
- June 5 - June 30, 2023 (Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
- WHERE:
- Ochsner Medical Center – New Orleans
1514 Jefferson Highway
New Orleans, Louisiana 70121
- WHO:
- Applicant must be at least 16 years old by June 5, 2023.
- Louisiana residents will be given priority selection for the STAR Program.
- There is no minimum grade point average (GPA) or ACT/SAT score requirement.
- HOW:
- STAR applications should be completed online at https://ochsner.smapply.org/ and are due by 11:59 p.m., Thursday, March 16, 2023.
- Applicants must complete and provide:
- The STAR Student Application
- A Copy of School Transcript
- 2 Letters of Recommendation
STAR is supported by Ochsner’s community affairs office and through generous community donors. For more information on the Ochsner STAR Program, visit www.ochsner.org/star or to apply visit www.ochsner.org/star/apply.
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About Ochsner Health
Ochsner Health is an integrated healthcare system with a mission to Serve, Heal, Lead, Educate and Innovate. Celebrating 80 years, it leads nationally in cancer care, cardiology, neurosciences, liver and heart transplants and pediatrics, among other areas. Ochsner is consistently named both the top hospital and top children’s hospital in Louisiana by U.S. News & World Report. The not-for-profit organization is inspiring healthier lives and stronger communities. Its focus is on preventing diseases and providing patient-centered care that is accessible, affordable, convenient and effective. Ochsner Health pioneers new treatments, deploys emerging technologies and performs groundbreaking research, including over 700 clinical studies. It has more than 36,000 employees and over 4,600 employed and affiliated physicians in over 90 medical specialties and subspecialties. It operates 47 hospitals and more than 370 health and urgent care centers across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the Gulf South; and its cutting-edge Connected Health digital medicine program is caring for patients beyond its walls. In 2021, Ochsner Health treated more than 1 million people from every state and 75 countries. As Louisiana’s top healthcare educator, Ochsner Health and its partners educate thousands of healthcare professionals annually. To learn more, visit www.ochsner.org.
